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IoT is the new buzzword. Empowering this new technology requires a vast, networked infrastructure – a task that will require the next several years, and likely longer. The need of IoT apps development is great and so is the innovation required to develop these new IoT platforms. Open-source community and Internet of things solutions provider companies have been at the forefront of this new trend, creating software and hardware designs to help developers explore IoT devices and applications. Let’s check the top IoT tools and technologies to build superior applications.
- IoT Operating System
- IoT Hardware Platforms
- IoT Software
- Home Automation Software
- Open Source IoT Protocol
- IoT Middleware Tools
- IoT Platforms
Here are IoT tools and technologies for developers to build next-generation IoT Applications
IoT Development Tools/Platforms
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Eclipse IoT
https://iot.eclipse.org
Eclipse IoT provides the technology needed to build IoT Devices, Gateways, and Cloud Platforms. Basically, Eclipse IoT is an ecosystem of companies and individuals collaborating to establish an Internet of Things based on open technologies. This collaboration helps to completely focus on the development, promotion, and adoption of open source IoT technology. Many of our members provide a wide range of projects and services built on top of Eclipse IoT technology. -
Node-Red
https://nodered.org
Node-Red is a browser-based editor which makes it very easy to wire together flows using nodes in the palette that can be deployed to its runtime in a single click. Node-Red provides a built-in library that let you save helpful functions or templates for re-use. With 225,000+ modules in Node’s package repository, it is easy to extend the range of palette nodes to add new capabilities. -
Dronesmith
Drones are one of the most emerging areas in the Internet of Things (IoT) space. This path-breaking technology has the potential to change each and every domain across the world. Dronesmith aims at making use of drones much easier.
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Arduino
https://www.arduino.cc
An Open-source prototyping platform, Arduino is based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Arduino is a hardware specification for interactive electronics and a set of software that includes an IDE and the Arduino programming language. Arduino is “a tool for making computers that can sense and control more of the physical world than your desktop computer.” -
IFTTT
When it comes to home automation, IFTTT provides robust support to several products. This makes it easy to connect and control IoT automation devices.
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M2MLabs Mainspring
http://www.m2mlabs.com
M2MLabs Mainspring is an open-source application framework to develop machine-to-machine (M2M) applications for remote monitoring, fleet management, or smart grid. It covers different functionalities needed by M2M devices such as flexible modeling of devices, device configuration, communication between devices and applications, validation and normalization of data, long-term data storage, and data retrieval functions. -
Canopy
http://canopy.link
Canopy simplifies the IoT cloud by acting as a cloud relay between IoT devices and applications. Canopy allows quick and seamless development of IoT solutions for diverse markets ranging from consumer, commercial and industrial. Canopy’s server-side component (the “Canopy Cloud Service”) is open source and runs anywhere, including the public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud, LAN, or even on your laptop. -
Intel® Edison Development
https://software.intel.com/en-us/iot/hardware/edison
Intel® Edison Development Platform is the first in a series of low-cost, product-ready, general-purpose compute platforms that help lower the barriers to entry for entrepreneurs of all sizes—from pro-makers to consumer electronics and companies working on the Internet of Things (IoT). -
Tessel 2
https://tessel.io
Tessel 2 is a robust IoT and robotics development platform. Leverage all the libraries of Node.JS to create useful devices in minutes with Tessel. Interact with the physical world from sensing to actuation to connecting with other devices. Each module has an open-source library on NPM, with instructions and tutorials available online. It literally plugs, npm install, and play.
IoT Hardware Platforms
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Particle.io
https://software.intel.com/en-us/iot/hardware/galileo
Particle.io is an end-to-end IoT platform offering IoT hardware development platform, connectivity, device cloud, and apps. It offers a robust, reliable infrastructure to build and manage your IoT fleet. Particle’s cloud-connected microcontrollers power your product, making it easy for the hardware to get your device connected in minutes – over Wi-Fi, cellular (2G/3G/LTE), or mesh. Its cloud-connected microcontrollers are powered by a lightweight operating system for embedded IoT devices, Device OS. Particle’s industrial-grade connectivity modules are secure and reliable allowing scalability.
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Adafruit Feather
https://www.adafruit.com/category/777
The Adafruit Feather is a complete line of development boards from Adafruit with a large suite of accessories that rapidly accelerate development. Standalone and stackable, feathers are flexible, portable, and light just as the name suggests. It comes with a complete line of accessories and FeatherWings to stack boards and for prototyping. With several renditions, adding unique functionalities has never been easier. Adafruit Feather is an ecosystem of products – and the best way to get your project flying.
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Espressif
Specializing in creating chips, Espressif offers a high level of integration and smart solutions. Espressif’s development boards provide easy prototyping and interfacing. These robust and all-in-one dev boards help create IoT applications in a quick and hassle-free manner. Espressif comes with a wide range of well-integrated and energy-efficient wireless SoCs which are hugely popular among the IoT community. Its fully-certified modules combine Wi-Fi and BT/BLE.
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Intel® Galileo Board
https://software.intel.com/en-us/iot/hardware/galileo
Built on fully open-source hardware and designed specifically for developers, students, educators, and DIY electronics enthusiasts, the Intel® Galileo Gen 2 board is Arduino* certified with a software environment for advanced compute functionality.
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Re-Mote
https://zolertia.io/product/re-mote/
Developed jointly with universities and industrial partners from several countries, Re-Mote is a powerful development board to build real IoT projects and solutions. Re-mote was the built-in context of a European Project to create IoT hardware for logistics, smart cities, and industrial projects. RE-Mote is fully compatible with main IoT operation systems and is a perfect hardware platform.
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Local Motors Connected Car
https://launchforth.io/localmotors/connected-car-project-internet-of-things/
After creating an open-source connected Rally Fighter to demonstrate Internet of Things capability, Local Motors is moving a step further. With AllSeen Alliance, Local Motors is finding new ways to integrate technology into all of their vehicle innovation. The open-source design includes an automotive-grade Linux distribution, a Raspberry Pi board, Arduino relay boards, and Octoblu open-source software.
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SmartEverything
SmartEverything is the main component to accelerate the “Internet of Things” ecosystem. As an Arduino form factor IoT board, SmartEverything is equipped with factory bundled I/O ports and sensors and energy-efficient wireless connectivity technology dedicated to all projects in the IoT and IoE fields.
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Arduino Nano
https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardNano
Arduino Nano is a breadboard-friendly board based on the ATmega328 (Arduino Nano 3.x). With nearly the same functionality of Arduino Duemilanove, the Arduino Nano can be powered via the Mini-B USB connection.
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Arduino Pro Mini
For applications where space is a major issue, this board comes to quick rescue. Available in 3.3 V and 5 V versions, powered by ATmega328, Arduino Pro Mini is for semi-permanent installation in objects or exhibitions. The board comes without pre-mounted headers, allowing the use of or direct soldering of wires.
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Arduino Yún LininoOS
https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardYun
Combining the power of Linux with the ease of use of Arduino, Arduino YÚN is the perfect board to design connected devices specifically the Internet of Things projects.
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panStamp
panStamps are autonomous low-power wireless modules made for telemetry and control projects. Its modules communicate over the free 868-915 MHz bands across the globe and are designed to last for years when powered by simple alkaline batteries.
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ThingsSpeak
ThingSpeak is an IoT analytics platform service to aggregate, visualize and analyze live data streams in the cloud. ThingSpeak enables sensors, instruments, and websites to send data to the cloud to store in a channel.
IoT Software Platform
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PlatformIO
It is an open-source ecosystem for IoT development. It comes with C/C++ Intelligent Code Completion and Smart Code Linter for rapid professional development. It comes with a multi-project workflow with Multiple Panes, as well as supports themes with dark and light colors. Its unique PIO Unified Debugger offers support for multiple architectures and development platforms to debug more than 250+ embedded boards with Zero-Configuration! Arduino and ARM embed compatible, PlatformIO comes with a multi-platform build System eliminating external dependencies to the operating system.
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prPL
The prpl Foundation builds collaborative contributions from the best minds in security, chip and stack design, carrier and mobile communications design, enterprise and storage systems, consumer applications, and much more.
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Tessel 2
Tessel 2 is a robust IoT and robotics development platform which uses all libraries of Node.JS to create high-performance devices in a matter of minutes. Tessel boards extend their capabilities by plugging in modules. It’s as easy to get started with npm install and just a few lines of code. It can get simpler with different combinations of modules to build new devices!
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Programmable Wireless
https://www.twilio.com/wireless
Programmable Wireless delivers IoT connectivity offering much-needed scalability to the enterprise and serving developers across the globe. With Twilio Console or via the Twilio API, developers can effortlessly control, analyze, and monitor cellular connectivity. Twilio Programmable Wireless can let add cellular data, voice, and SMS capabilities to your connected devices. REST APIs allows managing a large device fleet empowering you to control your IoT devices based on customer requirement. In fact, you can build an entirely custom deployment.
It is helping overcome problems that were previously considered unimaginable to solve with the connectivity to tackle any challenge you choose.
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Losant
Losant is an IoT platform for quickly, easily, and securely building IoT solutions. With this platform, you can experience seamless connectivity among a wide range of abstract hardware, and several devices, store and evaluate the data, and take action in real-time. This means you can easily build complex applications on top of the Losant platform.
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AllJoyn
Sponsored by the AllSeen Alliance, whose members include the Linux Foundation, Microsoft, LG, Qualcomm, Sharp, Panasonic, Cisco, Symantec, and many others, AllJoyn is a “collaborative open-source software framework that makes it easy for devices and apps to discover and communicate with each other.” AllJoyn is an open-source software framework that allows devices and apps to discover and communicate with each other. Developers can write applications for interoperability irrespective of a transport layer, and manufacturer, and without the need for Internet access.
Home Automation Software
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Control Any
ControlAny offers smart and intelligent IoT automation solutions relating to Home Automation, Energy Monitoring, Security Automation, and Infrastructure Automation aimed at building smart homes and smart cities.
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Ninja Sphere
https://ninjablocks.com
This is a hardware and software platform designed to connect all smart devices together. The Sphere app can notify users when away from home if it sees a problem and will help to fix the problem. Ninja Sphere works with several smart devices available such as WiFi lightbulbs, connected power sockets, Sonos media centers, and more.
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OpenHAB
openHAB is a vendor and technology agnostic open source automation software for home. With pluggable architecture, openHAB supports 200+ different technologies and systems and thousands of devices.
Open Source IoT Protocol
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Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (AMQP)
Open standard for business messaging Internet protocol. It communicates between applications or companies seamlessly connecting systems, feeds business processes with the information, and transmits instructions to attain objectives in a reliable manner. AMQP connects different aspects of Organizations, technologies, and systems not available simultaneously, as well as operates at a distance in case of poor network.
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Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP)
The Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) is a specialized web transfer protocol for use with constrained nodes and constrained networks in the Internet of Things. The protocol is designed for machine-to-machine (M2M) applications such as smart energy and building automation.
CoAP is specified in a Standards-Track RFC. RFCs that serve as Internet Standards Documents are generated by the IETF based on an extensive technical review and quality control process. CoAP is simple enough to implement from scratch for a simple application.
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Very Simple Control Protocol (VSCP)
While the term protocol may sound misleading, VSCP is a framework. It is a scalable, free and open solution framework for the discovery and identification of devices, configuration, autonomous device functionality, and securely updating the devices — overall, a solution from the sensor to the user.
The word “Protocol” may be misleading. VSCP is much more and should probably be called a framework instead. VSCP is a scalable, very low footprint, a free and open solution for device discovery and identification, device configuration, autonomous device functionality, and secure update of device firmware. VSCP is an application-level protocol making things interact using CAN, RS-232, Ethernet, TCP/IP, MQTT, and 6LowPan.
Middleware Tools for IoT
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Open Connectivity Foundation
An open-source software framework, Open Connectivity Foundation makes it simple for devices and apps to identify, discover and communicate with each other. Developers can write applications for interoperability irrespective of a transport layer, or manufacturer. And the best part is that this can be done without the need for Internet access. The software is available for developers to download and run on popular platforms such as Linux and Linux-based Android, iOS, and Windows, including many other lightweight real-time operating systems.
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OpenIoT
www.openiot.eu
OpenIoT provides cloud-based support and utility-based sensing services. As a joint effort between several open-source contributors, OpenIoT is an initiative to enable a new range of open large-scale intelligent IoT (Internet-of- things) applications. OpenIoT provides a range of smart city solutions from research academia to industrial products such as smart campuses, crows-sensing monitoring, and more.
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OpenRemote
OpenRemote is the Open Source Middleware for the Internet of Things that let’s integrate any device, irrespective of brand or protocol. With the ability to manage and customize solutions over time, OpenRemote lets you design any user interface and system intelligence. Right from smart city, buildings, healthcare, and home automation, OpenRemote provide tailored solutions for your needs.
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Kaa
is a middleware with the primary focus on increasing the speed of IoT solutions deployment. It can be used as cloud enablement software for connected devices, customizable middleware, transport-agnostic link, or as a feature-rich platform for IoT applications.
IoT Operating Systems
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Contiki
http://www.contiki-os.org
Contiki is an open-source operating system for the Internet of Things that seamlessly connects tiny low-cost, low-power microcontrollers to the Internet. A powerful toolbox for building complex wireless systems, Contiki supports fully standard IPv6 and IPv4, along with the recent low-power wireless standards: 6lowpan, RPL, and CoAP.
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mbed OS
ARM mbed OS is an open-source embedded operating system mainly for the “things” in the Internet of Things. It includes all features to develop a connected product based on an ARM Cotex-M microcontroller security, connectivity, an RTOS, and drivers for sensors and I/O devices. Some of mbed OS key features include providing necessary libraries which are included automatically on the device. This lets you focus on writing application code. Further, there are several options for connectivity in mbed OS with support of software libraries, tutorials, and more.
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The ThingBox Project
The ThingBox is a set of software already installed and configured. With ThingBox Project, you can create new unlimited applications interacting with connected objects from a simple web browser. For users with no technical background, this site provides a graphical interface to take full advantage of the Internet of Things. For users with technical background, ThingBox is ready to use a device released under the WTFPLlicence
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RIOT
RIOT is a free, open-source operating system developed by a community consisting of academia and hobbyists from across the globe. RIOT implements standard operating standards to ensure that the Internet of Things is connected and secure.
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Huawei LiteOS
Huawei LiteOS is an IoT software program that integrates an IoT operating system and middleware. With the option of fast startup and interconnectivity, Huawei LiteOS comes with an AA battery and a kernel as small as 10 KB. Huawei LiteOS comes with a software platform for developers to reduce development requirements and development periods. Huawei LiteOS is used in smart hardware in IoT fields such as smart homes, wearable devices, Internet of Vehicles, smart metering, and Industrial Internet.
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Raspbian
There are distributions for the Raspberry Pi aimed at IoT, but the quickly maturing Raspbian is still the best. It’s the most popular and one of the most widely used IoT platforms. Developers can rely on numerous projects and tutorials for help.
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ANDROID THINGS* ON INTEL® ARCHITECTURE
https://software.intel.com/en-us/iot/android-things
Android Things* is an exclusive operating system from Google to build connected devices for the Internet of Things. With verified functionality on Intel® architecture, when you add Android Things you get an efficient time-to-market platform to scale your projects beyond proofs of concept.
IoT Platforms
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IBM Watson
With IBM Watson, you can enable cognitive computing features in your app using Language, Vision, Speech, and Data APIs. This API makes it simple for developers and offers a host of different services. With Watson’s featured APIs, you can build chatbots understanding natural language and deploy them on messaging platforms and websites, on any device. You can also rapidly build a cognitive search and content analytics engine.
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Azure
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/
With Azure, you can integrate your existing devices and systems with IoT solutions specially designed for your business helping get insights to transform your business. Azure provides flexibility to connect devices and operating systems already being used by you. Azure’s common preconfigured solutions help accelerate IoT projects and stay ahead of the competition.
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AWS
AWS IoT is a managed cloud platform to connect devices in a seamless and secure manner and interact with cloud applications and other devices. With the ability to support billions of devices and trillions of messages, AWS can process and route messages to AWS endpoints and devices securely.
